Solitude - Slowing down to hear God

Hey everyone, I thought the lesson on solitude was actually quite important for our CG. For those of you who are really serious about God and about wanting to hear him, let's try to practice daily solitude with God. Just quieting ourselves down, reading the Bible and trying to discern what God is saying to us.


-Germs

Spiritual Disciplines

Solitude - Slowing down to hear God

Mark 6:30-32

Reject Hurry Sickness

This is a disease can destroy our soul and spirit. We must remove hurry from our lives. The danger is not that we will renounce our Faith, but that we will settle for a shallow form of Christianity, not ready to enjoy the spiritual treasure God wants us to have.

While mordern technology helps us do things faster, they distract us or take up even more of our time. We are presurred to cramp more and more things in less and less time. Hurry will keep us consumed from what God says and prevent Him from taking His roots in our lives.

One symptom is that we know about alot of things but never in dept. It also takes away time we spend with our love ones.

Recognise the need for solitude

Jesus urged his disciples to take a break from their busyness. He always found time to seek solitude with God in the midst of all his busy activities. Even before he started his ministry, he spent 40 days in the desert.

Mark 1:35 Even with so many needs to be met by the people, Jesus still saw the importance of spending soliditary time with God. We need to set aside solitude time with God to be with Him in order to hear God. Slowing down will help us get spiritual perspective for our lives. It will allow us to discern God's will.

Solitude, practiced with silence can help us to control our tongues. In silence, we learn how to reply on God's control. Observation and listening skills will be sharpened. We will learn what needs or needs not be said in public.

Restore the practice of Solitude

In practicing solitude, we should withdraw from conversations, distractions, sounds. Have a Bible, journal and pen beside. Listen to the rumblings in our hearts and what God is saying about it.

Solitude must be intentional and planned, not just done when we have any free tine to spare. Unless we schedule it in, its hard to discipline ourselves to do it.

On a daily basis, should read the Bible and journal. The key for this is not to spend time in deep Bible study, but to simply spend time with God. Focus on one thought at a time. Allow God's word to sink deep into our soul. Enjoy God's prescence and allow Him to speak directly into our lives.

We should devote half a day a week for God.